Rack for pencils, penholders, &amp;c.



PATENTED 1330.3, 1903.

J. ADAIR.

RAGK FOR PENO 2 sums-sum 1.

HS, PENHOLD FILED SEPT 3, 190

APPLICATION Np MODEL.

INVEN'I'OR No. 746,231. r v

UNITED STATES PATENT Orrios.

Patented December 8, 1903.

JAMES ADAIR, OF LEET TOWNSHIP, ALLEGHENY COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.

RACK FOR PE NCILS, PENHOLDERS, 80C.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 746,231, dated December 8, 1903.

Application filed September 3, 1903. Serial No. 171,793. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMES ADAIR, a citizen of the United States, residing in Lost township, in the county of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented or discovered certain new and useful Improvements in Racks for Pencils, Penholders, &c., of which improvements the following is a specification. The invention described herein relates to certain improvements in pen-racks of the class or type embodying as the gripping and holding element resilient or yielding members, such as a wire coil, a metal strip bent to serpentine form, &c. As heretofore constructed, the gripping or holding element tion of a pencil will cause adjacentcoils to assume opposite inclinations, and the pressure of such oppositely-inclined coils against the smooth surface of the pencil will tend to force the latter out of the coil.

The object of the invention described herein is to provide a shield or guard for the gripping or holding element, so that the latter is unrestricted in its movements and inaccessible except by a pencil or penholder or other similar article.

It is a further object of the invention to provide for so securing the coil in the holder cage or shell as to avoid the necessity of speof a modified form of rack. Figs. 8 and 9 are plan and end elevations of a further modification of my improved rack. Figs. lOand 11 areplan and; end elevations of a modifi cation of the construction shown in Figs. 8

and 9, and Figs. 12 and 13 are longitudinal shell or case 1, the upper portion of which has its sides parallel or-approximately paralleland a little larger than the diameter of the gripping or holding element 2, which is to be placed in the shell. The straight sides of the upper portion or raceway of the shell are connected by portions the contour of which corresponds to the transverse contour of the gripping element. The raceway or upper portion of the shell or case is divided into bars and spaces by cutting away or omitting portions thereof, thus leaving a series of arches or plates 3, forming a cage, which extends over thegripping element. The spaces between theseveral arches or plates should have a width at least equal to the diameter of the pencil or penholder or other article to be placed therein, while the arch 0r plate shouldbe' wide enough to extend beyond two adjacent memand'transverse sections illustrating a serpenbers of the gripping element or'to more than bridge the space between them. .The end walls or abutments 4 of the case or shell have their edges turned over, forming sockets for the ends of the coil,as clearly shown in Figs. land 2. The lower portion of the case or shell is preferably made somewhat wider than the upper portion, so that the completed rack will not readily turn over, and in this lower portion of the shellis placed a block 5, which fits thereinto. This block may be made of heavy material or suitably weighted to prevent any tipping of the rack and bears against shoulders of the case or shell. The block may be made to extend into the vertical portion of the cage or raceway to form a hearing or seat for the gripping element; but to hide' dust it is preferred to form a supporting-rib 7 on the block adapted to.;serveas a seat or bearing for the gripping element. 'By this -co nstruction-t'. e. by the em ploy inent'of such a shell, case, or cage-the gripping element as it comes from the shaping mechanism can be cut off any desired lengths, placed within the upper portion of the cage or shell, and the block 5 then fitted into the bottom portion, thereby securing the gripping element in position without the use of tools or skill or any other fastening or securing devices, such as are now commonly used. The arches may be bent transversely, as shown in Figs. 12 and 13, thereby strengthening the arches and providingguiding-surfaces to direct the pencil, &c., to the gripping element.

In lieu of a series of arches 3, formed integral, as stated, with the shell, the gripping element may be protected by means of arches or curved plates 8, formed on the upper ends of the pins 9, which are driven down between adjacent members of the gripping element into the supporting base or rib 7. (Shown in Figs. 4 and 5.) The end walls of the cage or shell in this construction, as also that shown in Figs. 1, 2, and 3, are .formed with sockets for the reception and protection of the ends of the gripping element.

As shown in Figs. 10 and 11, the abutments or sockets for the reception of the ends of the gripping element may be formed by arches provided along one edge with teeth or projections 12, which are bent inwardly to form bearings for the ends of the gripping element. When employing these annular abutments or sockets and a coil, as the gripping element, a penholder or pencil can be inserted longitudinally into the coil.

As shown in Figs. 6 and 7, a pen-rack for one or more penholders or pencils can be formed by recessing the inner faces of two blocks 10 of wood or metal to form sockets for the reception of the ends of the coil and then securing such blocks together in any desirable manner with their recessed portions facing each other, as shown.

As shown in Figs. 8 and 9, the protecting arches or plates 3 may extend entirely or almost entirely around the gripping element and be secured to a base-plate 11, formed of metal or other suitable material.

In lieu of the construction shown in Figs. 8 and 9 I may employ that shown in Figs. 10 and 11, wherein the arches are formed by fingers 13, extending from the side edges of the base-plate 11 and bent around over the gripping element. It is preferred that the meeting ends of these fingers should be connected together. The end arches thus formed may be provided with inwardly-projecting teeth to form bearings for the ends of the gripping element. These constructions are especially convenient when the rack is secured to a wall or desk.

The gripping element consists, as shown, of a series of members held in yielding relation to each other and to the rigid arches, so that the pencil, &c., maybe inserted between two adjacent members and when in position will be gripped by such members or be forced against an arch, thus augmenting the frictional contact. A convenient embodiment or construction of the gripping element consists of a coil of resilient wire, as shown in Figs. 1 to 11, or of a strip of resilient material, as metal, bent to serpentine form, as shown in Figs. 12 and 13. It will be observed that the cage or raceway may be made angular in cross-section, conforming to the crosssectional contour of the serpentine gripper.

The essential features or elements of my improvement consist of a supporting-frame, which in one form may be a plain plate or strip, and protecting arches or plates above the gripping element and extending sufficiently around it to afford elficient protection and at the same time to resist thrust against the pencil increasing frictional grip, while dispensing with all holding-down devices now in use. In the construction shown in Figs. 1, 2, 3, 6, 7, 10, and 11 the end arches or plates are formed integral with the support-frame.

It is characteristic of my improvement that the gripping element is arranged within a raceway or cage, which will protect it from distortion or injury and so supports or contains the gripping element that no fastening devices are required, and perfect freedom of movement of all members of the gripping element is permitted, while the hold on the penoil, 850., is augmented in some cases by frictional contact with the rigid uprights of the arches. As the arches are spaced a distance apart a little greater than the diameter of the pencil or other article to be held, a prying movement of the pencil such as would distort the gripping element is prevented, and distortion from passing the hand over the gripping element is impossible, as the finger cannot pass between the arches.

I claim herein as my invention 1. A rack for pencils, penholders, &c., having in combination a base or support having end walls or abutments provided with sockets, and a gripping element having its ends arranged in said sockets and held in position thereby, substantially as set forth.

2. Arack for pencils, penholders, &c., having in combination a base or support, a gripping element, and one or more protecting arches or plates arranged above the gripping element, substantially as set forth.

3. Arack for pencils, penholders, &c., having in combination a shell or raceway having portions cut away to form protecting arches or plates and a gripping element arranged within the shell or case, substantially as set forth.

4. A rack for pencils, penholders, &c., having in combination a shell or raceway provided with end walls or abutments and having protecting arches or plates intermediate of its ends, a block provided with a rib for supporting the gripping element and a gripping element arranged with the shell or raceway, substantially as set forth.

5. Arack for pencils, penholders, due, having in combination a shell or raceway provided with end walls or abutments having sockets and with intermediate protecting IIO ing in combination a shell or raceway having ann ular end walls or abutments provided with sockets, and having intermediate arches or plates, and a gripping-coil formed of resilient material arranged within the raceway, substantially as set forth.

8. A rack for pencils, penholders, 650., having in combination a shell or case provided with end walls and having protecting arches 0r plates intermediate of its ends, a gripping element arranged in the case or shell and a supporting-block for the gripping element secured in the case or shell, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

JAMES ADAIR. Witnesses:

DARWIN S. WOLOOTT, F. E. GAI'IHER. 

